The daily morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1883-1899, 1887-09-27
THE OUTCOME OF YACHTING.

When the america went over to Eng
land in 1851, her model and rig ar
rested attention at once. She was un-
like anything that had ever been seen
in British waters; at least nothing
among yachts had ever been seen like
her. She won the cup easily. Her
hull was somewhat different from the
British boats of that time, she being
straightforward, q. e., without any ta-
per in her bottom between water-line
and keel, while her run or afterpart
was gradually extended to the stern
post. Her bow, which was cut away
sharp, was also supposed to have a
great deal to do with her success, and
this and the straight-hoor form of her
hull were actively copied. Soon, how
ever, it was found that her success was
not in the hull at all, but In the sails,
which were set almost as fiat as cards.
In the British boats they were baggy,
the after leeches, or parts of the main
sail between the boom and the points
of the subtending gaff, alone being as
round as one-third of the circumfer-
ence of an umbrella. So well was 1t
set up in the America, that those on
board watching the vessels some dis
tance in her wake could not distinguish
it from the mainmast.
Improvement in sail making was
the only great lesson gained by the
Americas victory. From 1851 to
1861 there were numerous improve
ments made in the hulls of yachts as
well in the method of rigging. About
1865 the spinnaker was introduced
which took the place of the square
sail in running before the wind. The
schooner yachts have been left be-
hind by the fast cutters which have
appeared in British waters during the
last eight years. These cutters have
become mere racing machines, narrow
in the beam, deep in the water, carry
ing a cloud of canvas, and having ac-
cording to size from sixty to seventy
tons of lead on the keel.
The most important outcome OF
yacht racing is to demonstrate which
is the best model and the best rig of
a sailing craft for all weathers. The
clipper ship was the result of great
deal of yacht modelling and yacht
racing. What is to be the outcome of
the present national contest, which
begins to-day between the Volunteer
and the ThiStles III the Thistle WINS
are we to have fleets of narrow cut
tiers, the "one-stick craft" with seven
ty-five tons of lead on the keel? What
can the merchant marine do with such
a craft and such a rig? From what
port does the merchantmen sail with
hundred tons of lead on his keel
for every hundred tons of measure
ment? If the Volunteer is the faster
sailing craft, what comes of it? Mer-
camille marine ventures are no longer
made in a one-stick craft. But the
good schooner which still 'schoons,"
holding good by analogy the deriya-
ton of her name, is one of the fastest
and most useful sailing vessels ever
put afloat. The schooner has been
brought TO perfection in American
waters. Since the days when the
America won the cup in British wa
tiers there has never been British
schooner-yacht sailing in competition
with an American yacht of the same
class where the latter has been beaten.
The sailing qualities of the schooner
were perfected by yacht modelling,
rigging and racing. To-day, probably
the most useful and economical mer-
chant vessel in the coasting trade is
the three-masted schooner, the ton
mage Of which class is increased year
by year. In Atlantic waters many of
these vessels will carry the cargo of a
medium sized ship, or, say, 1,500 tons.
They are good sailers, weatherly and
great carriers. All these qualities
may not have come from yacht model
ing, rigging and racing. The two
ends sought were speed and great car
rying capacity as well as safety.
Over against the class represented
by the British cutter, is the craft with
fiat floors and a centerboard. That
style of craft may be said to be
American. The idea is an old one,
but the modern improvements GER
tainly belong to this country. The
centerboard craft is adapted to the
shoal water along coasts and in bays
and other inland waters. 1t is adopt
ed In the construction of many
schooners. Not because better sea-
going vessel is the result, but primari-
ly because vessels of this class can
sail into the mouths of rivers, shallow
bays, and inlets, and get nearer the
coast for the purpose Of taking on and